Brood size manipulation affects frequency of second clutches in the blue tit

The reproductive trade-off hypothesis predicts that the investment made in current reproduction determines the breeders’ future fitness as a consequence of intra-or inter-generational reproductive costs. Long-lived species are expected to favour their own reproductive value at the expense of their offspring, hence incurring in inter-generational costs, whereas short-lived species are expected to invest in the current breeding attempt even at the expense of their own survival, thus incurring in intra-generational costs. We tested whether intensity of current reproductive effort has intra-or inter-generational costs in a short-lived bird, the blue tit Parus caeruleus, with a brood size manipulation experiment. We expected more intra-generational (parental reproduction and/or survival) than inter-generational (offspring quality and survival) reproductive costs. We found that parental effort, measured as the hourly rate of parental visits to nests, increased gradually with experimental manipulation. Brood size manipulation resulted in a gradual increase in the number of fledglings per nest from reduced to increased treatments. We found an effect of the manipulation on the probability of making a second clutch, with adults rearing enlarged broods being less likely to undertake such a second reproduction during the season compared to those rearing control or decreased broods. We found no evidence of other reproductive costs; neither as adult weight after manipulation, apparent parental local survival, apparent offspring local survival or local recruitment. Although the results seem to support the a priori expectations, alternative explanations are discussed.Communicated by M. Soler     

Relative importance of multiple plumage ornaments as status signals in golden whistlers (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Pachycephala pectoralis</Emphasis>)

Status signals are traits that advertise an individual’s competitive abilities to conspecifics during aggressive disputes. Most studies of status signals in birds have focussed on melanin-based plumage signals, but recent research shows that carotenoid-based signals may also play a role in aggressive signaling. We assessed the relative importance of melanin- and carotenoid-based plumage patches as agonistic signals in a small passerine, the golden whistler (Pachycephala pectoralis). Display signals in male golden whistlers include an unpigmented white throat patch, a carotenoid-based yellow breast and nape band, and a melanin-based black chin-stripe. We found that only the white throat patch was correlated with contest-related attributes. Males possessing large throat patches defended larger territories and commenced breeding earlier. When caged males with either experimentally reduced, or unmanipulated throat patches were presented to conspecifics, those with experimentally reduced patches attracted less aggression from male subjects. Focal males also responded faster to caged males with throat patches similar in size to their own, suggesting that they may assess relative throat patch size before engaging in aggressive encounters. Females did not discriminate between “reduced” or “control” treatments. Our data strongly suggest that only the unpigmented throat patch functions as a status signal. As this signal is unlikely to have significant development costs, honesty may be maintained through social costs.     

Mitigation costs,distributional effects,and ancillary benefits of carbon policies in the Nordic countries,the U.K., and Ireland

This paper provides a survey of top-downmodelling analyses of carbon (C) abatementmitigation costs, distributional effectsand ancillary benefits in the Nordiccountries, the U.K. and Ireland. Specialemphasis is placed on the effects ofrevenue recycling and tax exemptions.According to the analyses, modestemissions reductions can be met withoutsubstantial costs for the countriesstudied, and a strong double dividend isfound in some analyses. The gross domesticproduct (GDP) or welfare effects are mostlyin the range of –0.4 and 1.2 percent whenC emissions are reduced by 20–30 per cent.Lowest costs are obtained without taxexemptions and with tax revenues used toreduce distortionary taxes. Ancillarybenefits are mostly in the range35–80/MgC^-1, i.e., about the same order ofmagnitude as the mitigation costs.Distributional effects are mostlyregressive, unless the tax revenues aredistributed in lump-sum fashion with equaltransfers to each household.     

Carbon Dioxide Emission Reduction Scenarios in Mexico for Year 2005: Industrial Cogeneration and Efficient Lighting

An analysis of the impacts on Mexican energy demand and associated carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions in the year 2005 due to efficient lighting in the commercial and residential sectors and cogeneration in the industrial sector is presented. Estimation of CO₂ abatement costs and an incremental cost curve for CO₂ mitigation options are considered. These technologies are cost effective opportunities, and together are projected to reduce CO₂ emissions in 2005 by nearly 13 percent. Implementation of efficient lighting is already part of the demand side management (DSM) programs of the Mexican state-owned utility. However, there are important barriers that may hinder the implementation of large scale cogeneration plants.     

Measuring the Incremental Costs of Global Environment Protection: The Case of Grid-Connected Wind Turbines in Morocco

An application is presented of the methodology used bythe Global Environment Facility (GEF) to measureincremental costs. Incremental cost estimates are usedby the GEF to determine its financial contribution toprojects that protect the global environment, such asinvestments in renewable energy. The importance ofadopting a system-wide view in certain types ofprojects (such as investments in grid-connected power)is illustrated using the case of wind power inMorocco. A narrow plant-by-plant comparison wouldneglect the adjustments in the system expansion planthat may be warranted when one type of plant (e.g., acoal fired thermal plant) is replaced by another (e.g.,a wind farm).     

WATER TRANSFERS AND THEIR IMPACTS: LESSONS FROM THREE COLORADO WATER MARKETS1

ABSTRACT: This paper presents an analysis of the effects of different institutional arrangements and economic environments on water markets. Characteristics of water rights transfers in the South Platte Basin of Colorado and transfers of shares of the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District (NCWCD) are compared to show how different institutional arrangements can affect the types and size distributions of transfers. The characteristics of water rights transfers in the prosperous South Platte are then compared with water rights transfer characteristics in the economically marginal Arkansas River basin of Colorado to identify the effects of different economic environments. Finally, the economic losses from reductions in irrigated acreage resulting from water transfers are estimated for the South Platte and Arkansas and compared with purchase prices by municipalities. Transfers in the South Platte were to new uses in the same basin, while more recent transfers in the Arkansas were to out of basin users. Transfers of South Platte rights and especially NCWCD shares were small and continuous over time, while transfers in the Arkansas were dominated by a few very large transfers. The negative impacts are judged to be more severe in the Arkansas basin than in the South Platte. Purchase prices paid by municipalities substantially exceeded capitalized transitional losses in the selling areas. In the South Platte, gains and losses were in the same basin, while the Arkansas absorbed the losses, with the benefits going to the purchasing basin.     

基于路段相关的路网行程时间可靠性

受自然、人为灾害等偶发事件以及日常的交通供需矛盾的影响 ,道路网运行效率下降 ,行程时间波动且不确定。为此 ,笔者分析了能够表征路网应对行程时间变化和承受波动的能力的指标———行程时间可靠性及其定义、特性、表达。针对路段之间的相互影响模式所适应条件的不同 ,按场景将其关系分成不相互影响、同步影响以及弱影响 3种模式。利用MonteCarlo法进行模拟 ,得出不考虑路段相关性 ,会高估路网的可靠性 ,减少路段间相互影响 ,有利于降低破坏事件对路网的影响程度和范围。考虑路段相关的行程时间可靠性应用于实际路网路径选择 ,可以增加选择的合理性和准确性 ,实现安全、可靠、高效运营。     

巢湖流域大气污染的经济损失分析

在对2002年巢湖流域大气污染资料进行调查和统计的基础上,应用人力资本法、市场价值法、机会成本法、资产价值法等环境经济价值评估方法,从人体健康、农作物、森林、家庭清洗费用和建筑材料腐蚀5个方面估算了巢湖流域大气污染造成的经济损失。结果表明,建筑材料腐蚀损失和人体健康损失分别为185亿元和151亿元,这两项费用占整个损失的比重达7814%;家庭清洗费用增加值、农作物经济损失和森林经济损失分别为073亿元、012亿元和009亿元。当年全流域环保投资总额为46亿元,而仅大气污染造成的环境经济损失就达到43亿元,约占当年GDP的084％。环保投资力度与环境污染损失不相适应。     

某电厂烟气脱硫废水处理工艺设计

在分析某电厂脱硫废水水质资料的基础上,阐述了某电厂烟气脱硫废水的处理工艺,列举了系统主要设备规格、数量、材质等参数;直接运行成本约为1.471元/t;实际运行结果表明,各处理单元状态稳定,排放口出水SS、pH、氯化物、CODcr等指标完全满足《污水综合排放标准（》GB8978-1996）二级排放要求。     

事故经济损失分类及评估方法研究综述*

为系统了解事故的经济损失分类、评估方法以及发展方向,通过文献综述的方法,回顾事故经济损失的研究起源,总结主要的分类方法,归纳评估方法的主要特点,分析评估难点并展望未来可能的研究方向。研究结果表明:事故经济损失统计项目难以全部列出,须在其构成价值与评估所需努力之间相权衡;在事后全面准确评估经济损失仍是未来的研究重点,其有益于统计标准的制修订,而事前评估则是1个新兴的方向;很难选择合适的直间比来评估间接经济损失,未来需开发1种简单灵活的评估方法。研究结果可为未来事故经济损失分类和评估的研究应用提供理论和数据支撑。